Carnival

Dominican Dream

New member
Jan 9, 2002
36
0
0
www.dominican-dreams.com
When will be the Carnival party in Santo Domingo?
I guess the party will be on the 27th of February (Independence Day).
I read somewhere in the Internet that the party could also be on Friday the 1st of March depending on a decision of the president.

Could someone please confirm the date? Thanks
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
113
Like, who cares about Santo Domingo?? the action is in Santiago and La VEGA!!!

if you possibly can make it there try and see these two places for memories you will never forget and bruises that will take weeks to heal!!.

Lechon cuajao, Amarillo y colorao!!

HB, in the spirit of Mardi Gras
 
Last edited:

Pib

Goddess
Jan 1, 2002
3,668
20
38
www.dominicancooking.com
[B]Hillbilly[/B] said:
...and bruises that will take weeks to heal!!.
And for bruises that may never heal try Montecristi :D. It is not the most colorful of carnivals but it is completelly different from the rest of the country. A little barbaric with a touch of violence makes for a different experience.

Check this website for more about Montecristi's carnival: http://members.es.tripod.de/kaorie/carnaval1.htm
 
Last edited:

mkohn

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
1,151
4
0
The lechones (guys in masks) is one of my more colorful memories of Santiago. Kind of scary for a little kid. Probably a blast for big kids. :)
Great web page!
 

John El ?nico

New member
Jan 9, 2002
136
0
0
La Vega has the best Carnival. they have party every sunday in Feb.
Santo Domingo Carnival is just a parade in the Maleco,. and I think it will be in March 3.
Santo Domingo Gran Carnival Gala will be in hotel Jaragua.
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
113
You know PIB, I was going to mention that riot in Montecristi, but I figuered that it would scare the folks away.

Up there they have street fights with bull whips and beat the shit outta each other. It isn't so much bruises but scars that you have to worry about.

It is a real specticle, sort of like the Roman Coliseum(?) with people chanting for more blood!

Hb, happy with his lechones...
 
Last edited:

Pib

Goddess
Jan 1, 2002
3,668
20
38
www.dominicancooking.com
[B]Hillbilly[/B] said:
Up there they have street fights with bull whips and beat the shit outta each other
To the eyes of the outsider it may seem that way, but the game has rules. Unlike the rest of the country where masked characters hit the public with soft ballons made with dried animal bladders, with the purpose of scaring the crowd, in Montecristi the crowd is never "attacked".

In Montecristi's carnival there are two characters who participate in these games: Toros (Bulls) and Civiles (Civilians). They fight with whips made with natural fibers, the whips sound scarier than they are dangerous, but they are dangerous nonetheless. The Bulls wear padded customes and masks with metal nets to protect the eyes. The Civilians fight with normal street wear and gogles. Some Civilians fight without their shirt and even without gogles as a proof of courage.

Although the rules are not written, nor they constitute a law, the game among Toros y Civiles follows these rules:

* Each Bull fighs with approximately 5 Civilians. Some Bulls have fought with up to 10 Civilians, those were the "pros" of the game. Bulls never fight among themselves or in teams. Civilians never fight among themselves. (added by Pib)
* One must never turn the back on the opponent.
* When a Bull or a Civilian lose the whip he is automatically out of the game.
* If the Bull cannot continue the fight he will take off his mask and that will be the sign.
* When two opponents hug they are out of the game. There must never be body contact among fighters.
* If a combatant falls on the ground he is out of the game.
* If the whips tangle both combatants are out of the game.
* One must never attack an opponent that is momentarily unable to fight (lost the whip or something).

The link that I provided above is a website kept by Dr. Helena, a prominent lawyer in MC and an amateur historian. It is one of those rare cases that you find material on the internet that is not available on print. Unfortunately it is only in Spanish.

As Dr. Helena states in his website, outsiders may consider these games barbaric, but one has to remember not to be too judgemental about other people's cultures. And if we consider that Bull Fighting is still legal in Spain one can only think that at least Montecristi's Bulls make a choice of fighting.

Pib
Montecriste?a at heart.
 
Last edited:

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
8,215
37
48
www.
Carnival in Santo Domingo is booked for 3 March. The Puerto Plata carnival is 9 March. There also will be celebrations in Jarabacoa and La Romana on 27 February. Samana is slated for a 17 March carnival date. But, as Hillbilly says, the best carnival events take place on Sundays in February in La Vega and Santiago.